Name: Max Dahlhaus
Occupation: Audiovisual artist, producer, composer, DJ
Nationality: German
Current release: Max Dahlhaus's Cychotic is out via Opal Tapes.

If you enjoyed this Max Dahlhaus interview and would like to know more about his music, visit his official website. He is also on Instagram, Facebook, and Soundcloud.



When did you start writing/producing/playing music and what or who were your early passions and influences? What was it about music and/or sound that drew you to it?

Growing up, my passion for music started with playing the piano, but I soon realized that it wasn't the right instrument for me. Nevertheless, it allowed me to develop a strong sense of harmony and melody that has been invaluable throughout my music career.

It wasn't until I attended the Nachtdigital Festival in 2010 that I truly found my calling in music production. It was during James Holden's mix that I was completely blown away by the sounds and emotions that he was able to create. In that moment, I knew that I wanted to create music that could make people feel the way I felt at that festival.



Though my journey has taken me in a different direction since then, that moment was a pivotal one that gave me the push I needed to pursue music production as a career.

When I listen to music, I see shapes, objects and colours. What happens in your body when you're listening and how does it influence your approach to creativity?

My relationship with music is quite diverse and dynamic. I tend to have varying emotional reactions to different genres and styles. I am particularly drawn to cinematic music that can transport me into a different world and evoke vivid imagery in my mind.

There are times when I hear a piece of music that is so powerful and moving that it sparks my creativity and inspires me to create something of my own. At other times, I may experience feelings of self-doubt and insecurity when comparing myself to other talented artists and producers. I believe that this is a common experience among creative individuals. But of course, there is also some stuff that I can't stand, and when I encounter it, I feel just annoyed. (laughs)

Overall, my relationship with music is a constantly evolving and multifaceted one.

How would you describe your development as an artist in terms of interests and challenges, searching for a personal voice, as well as breakthroughs?

My personal journey in music began with a focus on club music, pouring all my free time and energy into producing. However, after a while, I started to feel bored and began searching for new and different sounds to explore. This shift allowed me to break free from genre limitations and focus on my own personal style and taste. But it took many years to get there.

For my latest album Cychotic, I even went so far as to purchase a cello, despite not knowing how to play it. The new instrument served as a catalyst for experimentation and allowed me to add a unique element to my sound.

With each new project, I am constantly seeking new inspiration and have recently been exploring collaborations with other artists. For Cychotic, I had the pleasure of working with four incredibly talented individuals from diverse backgrounds.

Opera singer Joana Ivanova brought an ethereal quality to our track, while poet and multidisciplinary artist Miziguruka infused her distinctive spoken word style. Sound artist and vocalist Grinderteeth provided an intense and haunting energy, while sound artist and vocalist Lamb added a surreal touch and a scream from hell.

Their contributions brought a fresh perspective to my music and allowed me to push my creative boundaries even further.

Tell me a bit about your sense of identity and how it influences both your preferences as a listener and your creativity as an artist, please.

As a child, I faced some challenges that made it difficult for me to fit into the traditional education system. I discovered that I had to pave my own path early on, and it felt like a natural progression for me to immerse myself in the world of art and music.

My music today is deeply influenced by my search for identity during that time and beyond. I create not to become a star, but to find relief and express myself. These same experiences also influence my listening habits. I find music that others may consider stressful to be a source of relaxation and comfort for me.

What, would you say, are the key ideas behind your approach to music and art?

Doing whatever I want without limiting myself to genre rules.

How would you describe your views on topics like originality and innovation versus perfection and timelessness in music? Are you interested in a “music of the future” or “continuing a tradition”?

With so much diversity in music today, it's challenging to define what's truly original, innovative, perfect or timeless. These are simply descriptive terms used to enhance the appeal. It's important to remember that these concepts are often subjective and can vary from person to person.

Additionally, it's possible that what we perceive as new or innovative may have already been done before. Nonetheless, I remain open to the idea of exploring new musical frontiers while also respecting and learning from the traditions that have come before us.

Over the course of your development, what have been your most important instruments and tools - and what are the most promising strategies for working with them?

I have a range of different tools at my disposal, but there's one that stands out above the rest - Ableton LIVE. It's like an extension of myself when I'm producing music.

When I start a new project, I like to challenge myself by introducing a new tool or piece of equipment to my setup. I find it's important to concentrate on one new tool and really get to grips with it before moving on to the next. For example, for my first LP RIMS OF TIME, I focused on the Moog Sub37, which brought a new dimension to my sound.



For my second LP Atari Overdrive, I experimented with a digital Synth called HIVE from U-He and a Field Recorder, which allowed me to capture sounds from my environment and incorporate them into my music.



The third LP was shaped by the so-called anti-radio ETHER the analogue and LYRA synthesizers from SOMA, which offered a unique sonic character to my tracks.



For my latest LP Cychotic, I wanted to do something completely different, so I bought a Cello. I may not be a virtuoso on the instrument, but experimenting with it has opened up new possibilities for my music.

Ultimately, my approach is to keep things simple and focus on one or two tools at a time, giving them my full attention and exploring their potential to the fullest.

Take us through a day in your life, from a possible morning routine through to your work, please.

Every day is different, so let's take the perfect option to describe.

Get up – eat – go bouldering – eat – make music – meet friends – eat – bedtime

Could you describe your creative process on the basis of a piece, live performance or album that's particularly dear to you, please?

When I start working on an album, I like to make a list of the tracks I want. For example, I'll write down things like "1. intro without beat" or "2. track with deep Cello drones" to give myself a starting point. Of course, sometimes things go in a different direction, but having this list helps me focus my ideas.

To give an example, the second track of my new LP Cychotic - 'ExRealism' - was inspired by my idea for a deep Cello drone.



I started by recording the Cello and discovered that if I loosen the lowest string and play it with a lot of pressure, I get a super noisy drone sound with beautiful vibrations. From there, the creative process really took over and I just went with the flow, trying different things until I found the right elements for the track.

It's difficult to give a detailed description of my production process because it's always different. But what I can say is that when I was close to finishing 'ExRealism', I had the feeling that something was missing. I was fortunate enough to collaborate with the fantastic opera singer Joana Ivanova, who recorded some vocals with me and really brought the track to the next level.

I stay open to inspiration and am always up for trying new things - that's how I keep my creative process fresh and exciting. And having a starting point, like a list of tracks, helps me stay focused and motivated.

Listening can be both a solitary and a communal activity. Likewise, creating music can be private or collaborative. Can you talk about your preferences in this regard and how these constellations influence creative results?

Collaborating with other artists can be a great source of inspiration and creativity for me, but I do have my limits. While I enjoy brainstorming and jamming with others, I prefer to work alone during the production process. I find it difficult to concentrate when someone is looking over my shoulder, and I worry that the process might bore or frustrate my collaborators.

So for me, the sweet spot is finding that balance between collaboration and solitude in order to produce the best possible work.

How do your work and your creativity relate to the world and what is the role of music in society?

As an artist, I find that music is both a way to disconnect from the world and a means of connecting with it.

When I'm in the zone, I'm able to forget everything else and just focus on the creative process. And when I finish a piece and share it with others, I feel a sense of connection and validation.

Art can be a way of dealing with the big topics in life: Life, loss, death, love, pain, and many more. In which way and on which occasions has music – both your own or that of others - contributed to your understanding of these questions?

In many ways, music has contributed to my understanding of life's big questions. Without the feelings of life, loss, death, love, and pain, music would not exist.

I listen to music to evoke certain emotions or moods, and I also incorporate these themes into my own music. It's a way for me to express and process these universal experiences in a creative and meaningful way - and to avoid paying for therapy. (laughs)

How do you see the connection between music and science and what can these two fields reveal about each other?

Music and science are interconnected. For example, AI is created and utilized by creative individuals and used by musicians in different ways. That’s only one connection. There are so many.

Overall, the relationship between music and science is symbiotic, each field inspiring and pushing the other to new heights of creativity and innovation.

Creativity can reach many different corners of our lives. Do you feel as though writing or performing a piece of music is inherently different from something like making a great cup of coffee? What do you express through music that you couldn't or wouldn't in more 'mundane' tasks?

Well, my coffee-making skills are pretty limited, so I express a lot more through music!

For me, music is a unique form of expression that I find difficult to replicate in other 'mundane' tasks.

Music is vibration in the air, captured by our ear drums. From your perspective as a creator and listener, do you have an explanation how it able to transmit such diverse and potentially deep messages?

It’s that one secret that I keep to myself.